(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a display device, and more particularly to an electrophoretic display device.
(b) Description of the Related Art
An electrophoretic display (EPD) is an example of a flat panel display device that is commonly used for electronic books. An EPD device includes two panels having field-generating electrodes and a plurality of micro-capsules interposed between the panels. Each micro-capsule includes electric ink containing a plurality of white and black pigment particles. The white and black pigment particles are oppositely charged such that, for example, all white pigment particles are negatively charged and all black pigment particles are positively charged. Upon application of an electric field to the electrodes, the white and black particles move in opposite directions as determined by the electric field to display images.
The EPD devices have a high reflectance and a high contrast independent of viewing direction. Thus a screen of the EPD is as comfortable to view as a sheet of paper. Since each micro-capsule is stable in either of a black or a white state, each micro-capsule maintains the black or white state without maintaining a voltage across the electrodes. Accordingly, power consumption for the EPD is reduced. In addition, an EPD device is manufactured at a low cost since the EPD devices do not require polarizers, alignment layers, liquid crystal, etc., which are expensive requisites for liquid crystal display devices.